In a MotoGP garage, the first rivals are often teammates. They fight for the same results, the same developments, and sometimes, the same future. At Yamaha, however, the German Grand Prix told a completely different story. While Jack Miller knows he won't be riding for Pramac in 2027, it was he who helped Fabio Quartararo find the best setup for his Yamaha. This discreet collaboration perfectly illustrates the Australian's essential role within the Japanese project.
Before the start of the Sachsenring weekend, Yamaha had confided in Jack Miller the evaluation of a new swingarmThe manufacturer was counting on the Australian's experience to quickly gather reliable data before potentially rolling out this development more broadly. The result didn't just benefit the engineers; it also directly benefited... Fabio Quartararo.
« It's not a question of motivation. It mainly allowed me to understand certain things. " explains the Frenchman. The 2021 world champion reveals that he wanted to adopt a very specific setup right from Friday's practice sessions. However, his team preferred to revert to the settings used previously at Assen.
A decision that did not prove successful. From Friday onwards, I wanted to use the same settings I had on Saturday. But the team wanted to try something different, the ones we had used at AssenThe report arrived the very next day. On Saturday morning, we returned to the configuration I wanted and I immediately drove faster. It was therefore obvious that something was wrong on Friday »
Fabio Quartararo: “ Jack Miller and I have a fairly similar riding style. »
According to fabio quartararo, the data from Jack Miller were particularly relevant because the two pilots have a relatively similar flying style. It was interesting to see Jack go fast on that bike, especially because ultimately we have a fairly similar riding style. »
In other words, the information collected by Miller were directly exploitable by Quarterly, which is not always the case between two pilots with very different approaches.
This story sums up the Australian's situation. From a sporting perspective, his future in MotoGP seems practically sealed. Everything indicates that he will leave Pramac at the end of the season, with a possible rebound in World SBK.
Technically, however, its importance remains considerable. Since its arrival at Yamaha, Miller became one of the main developers of the M1. His experience gained at Honda, Ducati et KTM This allows him to offer a particularly valuable perspective on the evolution of Japanese motorcycles. The Sachsenring provided further proof of this.
This anecdote also highlights another reality. fabio quartararo recently confirmed that Yamaha Ferrari was now focusing most of its resources on the 850cc project for 2027, leaving the current M1 virtually unchanged. In this context, every available upgrade takes on disproportionate importance.
The least bras oscillatingThe slightest modification of geometry or the smallest change in settings may represent the only gains still achievable between now and the end of the season.
Despite his announced departure towards Honda and that of Jack Miller towards another destination, the two pilots continue to work together in the interest of Yamaha This attitude contrasts with some of the much more tense end-of-collaboration agreements recently observed in the paddock.
At the Sachsenring, Quarterly He not only achieved his second-best result of the year, but also reminded everyone of a frequently forgotten truth: in MotoGP, riders aren't just competitors. They're also developers, and sometimes a rider's best ally is the one who already knows they won't be there the following year.
